The NFL draft is nothing more than a room full of scouts, coaches and executives making educated guesses.

What lessons did the Dolphins learn from the 2008 draft.

They have all the film, the background information from investigators and coaches, and the workout numbers from combines and private workouts. But all these NFL teams are doing is GUESSING about draft prospects.

You can call it projecting, but its really guessing. That’s why No.1 overall picks like JaMarcus Russell become busts, and undrafted players like John Randle get inducted into the Hall of Fame. Every pick is a roll of the dice.

What I’ve discovered over the last decade is the good guessers are the ones who stick to their blueprint, rarely stray from their prototypes, and typically don’t make exceptions. But then again, Zach Thomas was an exception.

And don’t get me started on draft analyst, who usually don’t even watch all the game film teams do.

I remember back in 2008 when the Dolphins selected Chad Henne in the second round GM Jeff Ireland was THRILLED, so thankful that the Green Bay Packers took another quarterback one spot ahead of Miami.

That quarterback was Louisville’s Brian Brohm, who was taken with pick No. 46. The Dolphins knew he’d struggle in the NFL for various reasons (accuracy wasn’t good), and had him lower on their value board.

Brohm did struggle, falling short of having the mediocre career that Henne has as a starter the past three seasons.

Brohm got cut a year after he was drafted because Matt Flynn, a seventh-round pick the Packers took that same draft, beat him out. And Brohm struggled to establish himself in Buffalo.

That evaluation turned out to be a great decision by the Dolphins. But there is a flip side to the coin that now comes into play.

New Dolphins coach Joe Philbin was part of that Green Bay staff that picked Brohm with the 46th pick. Before, with Aaron Rodgers and Flynn as notched on his bedpost, I was comfortable about his input.

However, the Brohm selection also goes on that resume.

That second-round pick makes you wonder what was it that Philbin and Green Bay missed in their evaluation of Brohm, who some analyst thought was the second or third best quarterback in a mediocre draft class, which features Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco as the first-round picks.

And did Philbin, who was the offensive coordinator for the Packers at that time, learn from it?

Dolphins fans better hope he did, and that offensive coordinator Mike Sherman has a good eye for the position.

I’m VERY aware most Dolphins fans don’t have confidence in Ireland’s ability to SPOT and acquire talent for South Florida’s NFL team.

While his critics have many valid points, they are slightly missing the mark. Ireland is widely respected in the NFL as a “good SCOUT.” He’s respected for his eye for talent, and has found plenty for the Dolphins through the draft, free agency, CFL, and the waiver wire.

What Ireland hasn’t found the Dolphins is a franchise quarterback. But the list of people who failed to do that in South Florida is pretty long and disappointing.

Henne had the tools to be good, but was missing the IT factor that kept the team from rallying around him.

The franchise rode that train tool long and it cost Tony Sparano his job. Ireland tried to get off the train, but couldn’t get a respectable deal done with Kyle Orton last offseason and settled for Matt Moore.

Pat White, a second-round pick in 2009, was a tragic error in judgment for numerous reasons. I’ve long reported that Ireland was the only person against the White selection, which Bill Parcells, David Lee and Dan Henning advocated for. Still, Ireland will openly admit he’s guilty by association on that one too.

On the flipside, Ireland did find Moore twice. He scouting him for Dallas, which signed Moore as a rookie free agent, and signing him as a free agent last offseason.

Question is, can Ireland get a hit on swing No. 3 in the draft, which will probably be his last at bat if he doesn’t.

And how much influence will Philbin and Sherman have in this critical decision?

Hopefully the Dolphins do better than Brohm and Henne this time around.

Comments (149 Comments)

if moore is back up he is better than half of qb in nfl he is 27.. if i was dolphins i would find out if he can play or not put weapon around him to win now.. he may never be top ten qb but he can be top 15 in nfl if dolphins give him a chance

Moore is no back up, he is a rising star, a guy that came in here late in the season, wasnt given a chance to compete, etc etc…he could’ve won 10 games last season if he started from game 1 and marshall wouldve caught a few TDs he dropped, a healthy season of rookie clay, thomas, a good OL, a confident Bush.

Agree. Get Floyd and we replace marshall and have two extra 3rd round draft picks. Many of moore’s great plays were seam passes to Fasano and sidelines to hartline. Granted , a lot of coverage swayed to Marshall but Moore made the throws and has a great deep ball.

Ok, ok……well fellow Dolfans, It seems at though more and more mock drafts have the Fins taking Ryan Tannehill @ #8. Folks, all I can say to that is All Right M I A M I! Take a look at this highlight real: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClxFYIThbAE&feature=related
I know this is a highlight reel of all the good stuff…..but there’s ALOT OF GOOD STUFF on him here. He shows good touch on the ball and is deadly on the roll out….something he may particularly need until the Fins improve the right side of the O Line. He is deceptively fast and can really run well….kinda reminds me of a taller version of the great Fran Tarkenton (guess that shows my age…but you young guys can look him up…he was fun to watch). He looks to me like he would be perfect for the West Coast office the Fins want to run. I could be goofy but I personally LOVE this guy and think it would not be out of the realm of possibility he could start sometime his 1st year as a Dolphin. I think the Fins should grab him at 8 and run! Go ahead, pick me apart if you want to. But this guy has a great arm and great legs as well as smarts ….also his former head coach Sherman to work as his OC! After watching this youtube highlights above I am sold out on him. What do you think??

The biggest knock on the kid besides his inexperience is his lack of focus. Back in january scouts were saying he would look like a superstar one play and the next one would look like he never ever played the position. 3 months ago this kid was ranked in the late 2nd and early 3rd round and here we are talking about taking him with the 8th pick. The scary thing was a recent article that said we might trade up to #3 to draft tanney. If the dolphins want him at 8 he will be there. No way cleveland drafts another big 12 qb. If we trade down and tanneyhill is there then great but a top 10 pick for a kid who doesnt have the mental competence to compete in the big 12? He could not win a big game and faltered down the stretch which led to sherman being fired. Our receivers are holding their breath with this pick because one thing i did see in that highlight reel was tanney leading his receivers into certain death on many of his throws.

I think Matt Moore will be our starting QB this season, from what iv’e read, and heard thru the grapevine he has been working hard! he’s in good shape and should perform brilliantly. I wouldn’t mind Ryan Tannehill at # 8, God forbid something should happen to Moore, and if Garrard struggle,s this kid should be given a chance to run the West Coast offense. It will come down to this my fellow and (Loyal Dol-Fans) “The Offensive Line” if Miami solidifies the right side of the O-Line, and gets some depth on both sides, we WILL compete in the AFC East!!! Andy, C Bristol, Connecticut. (Home of ESPN) and a town with a large Dolphin fan base

remember when everyone questioned how PHILBIN was getting almost no power coming here? all the, “if hes so great, how come hes not getting any power”? he wont be picking draft choices. wont be the one hiring or firing ANYBODY. coaching the game, running the meetings and practices and deciding on the starting rosters are all he is doing. HIS response? “i like being focused solely on coaching and teaching, which is what i was doing in green bay. i was not looking for a lot of power with the job coming in, i am very happy with jeff ireland and my arrangement”.

MIKE McARTHY is the one who who decided who was drafted along with the pack’s gm. in miami, it will be jeff ireland as evaluator and draft choices.

but everytime some negative pops up its on philbin, he did this, hope he doesnt do that, etc…… when he isnt even responsable for ANY of it!!

i am sure the pack asked some things. i am sure ireland will also, expecially as he has NO experiance with the WCO. but it wont be much. jeff ireland is all about jeff ireland and as of right now, we are the MIAMI IRELANDS!!

we wont have ANYTHING to judge or question philbin by untill the end of october. by then, we will have a good idea how the players he has chosen to start were correct, how their used and how far along the team is under his tuteladge with the new scheme. right now, he is busy watching past fins film and decorating his office and new miami home. thats it!

so EVERYONE, enough about coach phil and all the why didnt he sign this guy, why did he do that in f/a and in green bay. as far as here goes, the things he is responsable for havnt come into play yet so there is NOTHING to question him or judge him on.

ALWAYS A SUPRISE here OMAR. i never know if i am going to see pimp hat gangsta omar or preacher omar! its entertaining though. interesting contradiction of ideals.

Matt Moore was the 12th best QB rating in NFL last year and that included the his first three starts while he learned the system on the fly. Garrard was a pro Bowl QB in 2010 with a 90 QB Rating. We are getting a new offense that stresses moving the ball and scoring – both of these guys will be up to the challenge.

I also like the idea of Tannehill if available at 8 – maybe we can trade back to 12-14 and still get him. I would prefer to see a stud pass rusher if we pick at 8.

Not for nothing, but I’m ready to give Moore a shot to be Miami’s starting QB. However, I’d love to see Miami get another receiver to help Matt! Also, another Back in the backfield should also help Matt. Go Miami! We’re now ready to take it to another level! Just saying…

Moore can turn out to be a very good Q/B. Give him a fukk season of min camp and off season progran. A full preseason training camp. he just might turn out to be what the Dolphins as needed all along. But I still hope we draft the kid from Aand M

Southern California’s Nick Perry… This guy is going to be a stud. IF, Tannehill is not there at 8, i’d say you trade down to a position where you can pick this guy and make Osweiler the pick for QB while adding an additional pick.

I would go as far as saying trade down anyway and do the above scenario. I’m intrigued by Osweiler. You can’t teach size or physical ability and this kid has unique size and ability. While he’s not as mobile and Tannehill he’s got just as much ability.

I hope Perry is on the radar for the Phins, because i think he would be the best value from a pass-rush perspective.

Also get Tommy Streeter in 3rd if he’s there. As for TEs, the kid out of Georgia is the way to go if he’s hanging around in 3rd or late second. Great rout running.

Honestly, I would take Weeden over Tannehill even at #8. Weeden will give you 7-10 years of really good to great QB play and will cost less. Reason Weeden is older so when it is time for his 2nd contract he will be 32 instead of 28 and right there will save $$$.

But more importantly Weeden has been a pro so he already knows the type of focus it takes whereas any of these top QBs in the draft. He will shine faster than Tannehill and that will pay off faster.

I don’t think any of the qb are good enough to waste a first round pick on. I would use a second round and poach Hoyer from new England’s roster. Not a big price to pay for a qb with proven arm and accuracy who has learned under Brady and belicheat for four years. Def our best move and beat qb available.

I say we draft Reiff at 8 then a WR or big play TE in the 2nd (Clemson’s Dwayne Allen would be a an excellent 2nd round pick) then grab Weeden in with the first pick in the 3rd then a pass rusher with the next 2 picks. I think Weeden could challenge Moore in a west coast style offense and possibility take the job before the season starts. TE Allen has good size and hands at 6′ 3″ 240 lbs and has great football IQ and runs routes very well. He is a future all-pro at TE. We don’t need a primary receiver we just need 3 good ones and we may have them already.

OMAR KELLY was unsuccessful at achieving his childhood dream to become a super hero, so he figured he'd do the next best thing and become a journalist who fights against injustice, and searches for truth. After being bored to death reporting news and covering politics, he switched to sports.
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IZZY GOULD joined the Sun Sentinel in Feb. 2012 as a Senior Sports Reporter on the Miami Dolphins beat. He came to South Florida fresh off covering the University of Alabama football program, including its 2011 national championship team. More